Scaling System

Introduction

The Scaling system is the mathematical engine that powers all dynamic value calculations in Ascend from Nine Mountains. Whether you’re creating techniques that deal damage, buffs that modify stats, or crafting effects that scale with player progression, understanding scaling is essential for creating balanced, engaging content.

Every damage number, healing amount, buff strength, and stat modifier flows through this system, creating the progression curves that make cultivation feel meaningful.

Core Architecture

The Scaling Interface

interface Scaling {
  value: number;          // Base multiplier
  stat?: string;          // Stat to multiply by (see valid stat names below)
  scaling?: string;       // Special scaling mode (e.g. 'stacks', 'consumed', or a buff name)
  eqn?: string;           // Expression MULTIPLIED onto the result
  additiveEqn?: string;   // Expression ADDED to the result (after eqn multiplication)
  customScaling?: {       // Additional multiplier, e.g. '+30% per stack of a buff'
    multiplier: number;
    scaling: string;      // Same as scaling above (e.g. buff name)
    upgradeKey?: string;
  };
  max?: Scaling;          // Cap the final value
  upgradeKey?: string;    // Links to mastery upgrades
  divideByStanceLength?: boolean; // Divide the result by the number of techniques in the stance
  buff?: Buff;            // Buff reference used internally for some effects
  increment?: number;     // For hit-based scaling: each subsequent hit costs this much more of the scaling buff
}

Valid stat Values

The stat field accepts any combat statistic, crafting statistic, physical statistic, social statistic, or technique element. The most commonly used values are:

Combat: 'power', 'defense', 'barrier', 'artefactpower', 'maxhp', 'hp', 'toxicity', 'maxtoxicity', 'critchance', 'critmultiplier', 'lifesteal', 'vulnerability', 'qiDroplets'

Crafting: 'control', 'intensity', 'maxpool', 'pool', 'resistance', 'itemEffectiveness'

Physical: 'muscles', 'dantian', 'meridians', 'flesh', 'digestion', 'eyes'

Elements: 'fire', 'ice', 'wind', 'lightning', 'earth', 'water' (and other TechniqueElement values)

Evaluation Formula

The system follows a predictable pattern: Base × Stat × Scaling × Equation + Additive

Final Value = (value × [stat] × [scaling] × [eqn result]) + [additiveEqn result]

Each component is optional, allowing for simple flat values or complex multi-variable calculations.

Deep Dive: Scaling Patterns

Pattern 1: Flat Values

When to use: Fixed effects, utility abilities, resource generation that shouldn’t scale with combat stats.

// Always grants exactly 3 stacks
{
  value: 3,
  stat: undefined  // No stat multiplication
}

// Fixed damage (rare, usually for utility)
{
  value: 100,
  stat: undefined
}

// Equation-only calculation
{
  value: 1,
  stat: undefined,
  eqn: 'toxicity * 2'  // Result comes entirely from equation
}

Real Example: Concentrate Force scales only with Ripple Force stacks:

amount: {
  value: 1,
  stat: undefined,
  scaling: rippleForce.name,  // 1 damage per stack, no stat scaling
  max: { value: 7, upgradeKey: 'maxStacks' }
}

Pattern 2: Basic Stat Scaling

When to use: Standard techniques, straightforward damage/healing effects.

// 150% of player's power as damage
{
  value: 1.5,
  stat: 'power'
}

// Barrier equal to 300% of defense
{
  value: 3,
  stat: 'defense'
}

// Crafting perfection based on control
{
  value: 0.8,
  stat: 'control'
}

Real Example: Sun Blast technique:

amount: {
  value: 2,              // 200% of power
  stat: 'power',
  upgradeKey: 'power'    // Improves with mastery
}

Pattern 3: Stack-Based Scaling

When to use: Buff effects that scale with accumulated stacks, combo systems.

// Damage per buff stack
{
  value: 0.3,        // 30% power per stack
  stat: 'power',
  scaling: 'stacks'
}

// Fixed amount per stack (no stat scaling)
{
  value: 10,         // 10 damage per stack
  scaling: 'stacks'
}

Real Example: Blossom technique scaling with Vitality:

amount: {
  value: 0.3,
  stat: 'power',
  scaling: 'stacks'  // 30% power × Vitality stacks
}

Pattern 4: Game State Scaling

When to use: Effects that respond to dynamic game conditions like toxicity, stability, or qi levels.

// Power increases with risk (toxicity)
{
  value: 0.1,
  stat: 'power',
  scaling: 'toxicity'  // More toxic = more powerful
}

// Cost scales with current stability
{
  value: -50,
  scaling: 'stability'  // Costs current stability
}

Real Example: Lianjin Bandolier toxicity scaling:

stats: {
  power: {
    value: 0.005,        // 0.5% power per toxicity point
    stat: 'power',
    scaling: 'toxicity',
    max: { value: 1, stat: 'power' }  // Capped at 100% bonus
  }
}

Pattern 5: Cross-Buff Scaling

When to use: Synergies between different buffs, combo effects that reward specific buff combinations.

// Scale with specific buff stacks
{
  value: 1,
  scaling: specificBuffName  // Uses that buff's current stacks
}

// Scale with target's debuffs
{
  value: 2,
  stat: 'power',
  scaling: 'target.' + debuffName  // Enemy's debuff stacks
}

Real Example: Celestial Discordance:

amount: {
  value: 1,
  scaling: 'target.' + harmonicDiscord.name  // Damage per target's discord
}

Pattern 6: Complex Equations

When to use: Percentage calculations, conditional logic, multi-variable formulas.

// Toxicity percentage bonus
{
  value: 3,
  stat: 'power',
  eqn: 'toxicity/maxtoxicity'  // Scales with toxicity %
}

// Conditional damage boost
{
  value: 1,
  stat: 'power',
  eqn: 'qi < maxqi * 0.3 ? 2 : 1'  // Double power when low on qi
}

// Multi-buff synergy
{
  value: 4,
  eqn: `${flag(buff1.name)} + ${flag(buff2.name)}`  // Sum of two buffs
}

Pattern 7: Capped Scaling

When to use: Preventing runaway scaling, maintaining game balance.

// Stat scaling with hard cap
{
  value: 0.05,         // 5% per stack
  stat: 'power',
  scaling: 'stacks',
  max: { value: 2, stat: 'power' }  // Max 200% power bonus
}

// Fixed numerical cap
{
  value: 10,
  scaling: 'stacks',
  max: { value: 100 }   // Never exceeds 100
}

Real Example: Ripple Force power bonus:

stats: {
  power: {
    value: 0.05,          // 5% per stack
    stat: 'power',
    scaling: 'stacks',
    max: {
      value: 2,           // Caps at 200% power
      stat: 'power'
    }
  }
}

Pattern 8: Stance Length Division

When to use: Effects spread evenly across all techniques in a stance, such as a total damage budget that should not grow as the stance gets longer.

{
  value: 3,
  stat: 'power',
  divideByStanceLength: true  // Total output stays constant regardless of stance size
}

Pattern 9: Hit-Based Increment

When to use: Multi-hit techniques where each subsequent hit consumes progressively more of a buff stack.

{
  value: 0.5,
  stat: 'power',
  scaling: flow.name,
  increment: 5  // First hit costs current stacks; second costs stacks+5; third costs stacks+10; etc.
}

Standard scaling

To keep numbers consistent, there are a few standard patterns for scaling you want to follow:

For technique effects

Anything that creates a direct effect (damage, healing, barrier) on techniques should scale from power:

{
  value: 1, // 100% of power
  stat: "power"
}

For stacks of buffs

Anything that produces stacks of buffs should not scale off any stat, but can scale off other fields to increase those stacks:

{
  value: 1, // Create 1 stack
  stat: undefined,
  scaling: "Flow" // Multiply by the flow stacks
}

For items

Consumables should normally have a flat scaling to ensure that lower realm items are not excessively powerful in higher realms.

{
  value: Math.floor(window.modAPI.utils.getExpectedHealth("bodyForging", "Late") * 0.5), // A flat 50% of the players expected hp in the Body Forging realm
  stat: undefined,
  eqn: '1 + (itemEffectiveness * 0.01)', // Multiplied by item effectiveness
}

For artefacts / formation parts

Externally controlled / powered items like artefacts and formation parts should scale off artefact power, not power:

{
  value: 1,
  stat: 'artefactpower',
  eqn: '1 + (itemEffectiveness * 0.01)', // Only for formation parts scale by item effectiveness too
}

Practical Examples by School

Fist School: Stack Accumulation

// Generate Flow stacks
{
  kind: 'buffSelf',
  buff: flow,
  amount: { value: 1 }  // Always 1 stack
}

// Convert Flow to damage
{
  kind: 'damage',
  amount: {
    value: 0.8,           // 80% power per Flow stack
    stat: 'power',
    scaling: flow.name
  }
}

Weapon School: Progressive Momentum

// Momentum builds over turns
stats: {
  power: {
    value: 0.02,          // 2% power per stack
    stat: 'power',
    scaling: 'stacks',
    max: { value: 0.5, stat: 'power' }  // 50% power cap
  }
}

Celestial School: Dual Attunement

// Power from both light and dark
stats: {
  celestialBoost: {
    value: 4,
    eqn: `${flag(lunarAttunement.name)} + ${flag(solarAttunement.name)}`
  }
}

Blood School: Risk/Reward

// Low health = high power
{
  value: 2,
  stat: 'power',
  eqn: '1 - (hp / maxhp)',   // max power at 0 hp
}

Advanced Techniques

Upgrade Key Integration

Link scaling to mastery progression:

{
  value: 0.65,
  stat: 'intensity',
  upgradeKey: 'completion'  // Improves as player masters technique
}

// Upgrade affects caps
{
  value: 3,
  scaling: 'stacks',
  max: {
    value: 5,
    upgradeKey: 'maxStacks'  // Max stacks increase with mastery
  }
}

State-Dependent Effects

// Desperation bonus
{
  kind: 'perfection',
  amount: {
    value: 20,
    eqn: '(stability < 30) * 20'  // Bonus when desperate
  }
}

Tips and Best Practices

Scaling Guidelines

Damage Multipliers:

  • Basic attacks: 0.5-1.2× stat
  • Strong techniques: 1.5-2.5× stat
  • Ultimate abilities: 3.0-4.0× stat
  • Per-stack scaling: 0.05-0.1× stat per stack

When to Use Each Pattern

  1. Flat Values (stat: undefined):

    • Utility effects (cleanse, dispel)
    • Resource generation/consumption
    • Equation-only calculations
    • Upgrade-driven progression

  2. Basic Stat Scaling:

    • Standard damage and healing
    • Straightforward stat bonuses
    • Effects that should grow with character power

  3. Stack Scaling:

    • Combo systems and buff interactions
    • Resource accumulation mechanics
  4. Equation Scaling:
    • Complex conditional logic
    • Percentage-based effects
    • Multi-variable calculations
  5. divideByStanceLength:
    • Total-budget effects that should not compound as stances grow longer
  6. increment:
    • Multi-hit techniques where later hits should cost more than earlier ones

Balance Considerations

  • Always cap percentage scaling to prevent exponential growth
  • Use meaningful stat relationships (power for damage, control for crafting)
  • Test edge cases thoroughly, especially with equations
  • Consider upgrade keys for meaningful progression
  • Make patterns intuitive - players will optimize around your systems

Common Pitfalls

  1. Uncapped scaling - Leads to broken balance
  2. Illogical stat relationships - Confuses players
  3. Overly complex equations - Hard to debug and understand
  4. Missing progression - Static effects feel unrewarding
  5. Inconsistent patterns - Makes the system unpredictable

The scaling system is powerful and flexible. Master these patterns, and you’ll create techniques and effects that feel both impactful and balanced, scaling naturally with player progression while maintaining strategic depth.